Fence-stretcher clamp.



G. O. WILSGN. FENCE STRETCHER CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEQ. 1917- Pa tented Jan. 22, 1918.

TD @TA.% PATENT @MWWE GEORGE O. WILSQN, OF WHEATLEY, KENTUCKY. i l l FENCE-STRETCHER CLAMP.

Application filed June 9, 1917.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE OLIVER IL- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wheatley, in the county of Gallatin and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence- Stretcher Clamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Th is invention relates to improvements in fence stretcher clamps.

lhe object of my invention is to provide a fence stretcher clamp which will firmly hold a fence wire and be so locked that the wire will be held against accidental movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clamp of this character, which will be so constructed as to effectually clamp a series of wires and hold the same against movement while a pulling action is applied thereto for stretching the same.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device which will remain in its locked position regardless of the amount of ull exerted on the clamp.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a pair of clamping boards upon which is removably arranged a locking element which, when in locked position, will securely hold the boards together binding them a ainst fence wire which is arranged between their opposing faces, and the boards will be held against movement due to the locking action of the locking member.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device of this character. which will be simple, practical and comparatively inexpensive in construction, and one that can be manufactured and sold at a low cost.

Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully set forth and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

lathe drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the clamp, showing it in its unlocked position and showing the position of the lever as it would appear in its unlocked position and the manner in which the lever appears when in its locked position is shown in dotted lines.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan, 22, 191%.

Serial No. 173,825.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference designate cor responding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referringto the drawings, numerals 1 and 2 designate the upper and lower clamping elements, which are formed of steel or any other suitable material, and the lower clamping element is provided on one face with a longitudinally extending groove 3 in which is adapted to be removably arranged a head or longitudinally extending rib 4: carried by the opposing face of the upper clamping element 2, and it will thus be seen that a device is provided that will firmly engage a fence wire and lock the same against movement when placed between the opposing faces of the clamping elements.

Secured to the lower strip or element 2 near each end is a U-shaped bar 5 which is formed of a single strip of material, and the arms of which are arranged to support laterally extending cylindrical extensions 6, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Similar U- shaped bars 7 are secured near the ends of the upper clamping element 1, the arms of which are provided at their free ends with lateral extensions 8 having formed therein apertures 9. Secured centrally of the upper face of the upper clamping element 1 a suitable hearing or wear plate 10, on which the eccentric of a locking member, which will be hereinafter more fully described, bears.

The locking mechanism, is designated'in its entirety by the numeral 11, and it comprises a cam 12 which is arranged to bear against the plate 10, as illustrated in the drawings. This cam is provided with an in egral lever 18 which forms a means by which the cam may be rotated by the hand of the operator. Formed near the upper edge of the cam is a bore 14, the use of which will appear as the description proceeds.

This cam is also provided near its center with another bore ll and adjacent its lower edge with a bore ll", the use of which will appear s the description proceeds.

Suitable substantially U-shaped wires 15 are provided. These wires have their web portions extended through the bore 14 and 1-1" and their arm portions extend parallel with the side edges of the clamping element element 2. The apertures 9 are of such a shape as' to permit of the removal of. the.

wires 15.

A wire 17 is substantially U-shaped'and is of a length shorter than the first named U-shaped members and has its web portion a position as to prevent the members from 7 being drawn away from each other, thereby arranged through the bore 14' in the cam. The ends of its arms are looped and are adapted to engage extensions 18 carried by a. U-shaped member 19 which is supported centrally on the lower clamping-element 2, and thus arranged to exert the necessary pressure centrally of the clamping element, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that in use the wire to be clamped or stretched is passed between the opposing faces of the clamping elements 1 and 2 and by. forcing or applying pressure. upon the lever. 13 and forcingv the same downwardly into the position illustrated in full lines in Fig. I, it will move the cam member in such locking them in this position and against the wire between their opposing faces which will allow a stretching device to be secured thereto to secure the proper stretching of the fence wire.

It will be noted that by virtue of the U- shaped members being. pivotally secured to, the cam. head and when the lever end of the cam is. parallel with the clamping elements. thatfthe pull will be directed on the head in such. a. manner to hold the lever in this.

position thus holding the elements 1' and 2' in. clamping engagement with one, and another and against the fencing wire which.

is located between the opposing faces.

What is. cla1med 1s: 1.. A fence. warestretcher including aipair.

of clamping elements, links adjacent the,

ends of each. ofv the elements, U-shaped. wires.

extending through. the links, an operating; lever, a. cam carried by the lever bearing against the upper element, and a lever to.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington,,f 0. i l

ofclamping elements, U-shaped bars secured to each of the clamping elements, one of the U-shaped bars being provided with apertures at eachend, annular extensions on the opposite U-shaped bar, wires extending through the apertures and connected to the annular extension on the last mentionedU-shaped bar, and. a1cam, the said wires being connected to the cam, and a lever to control the rotation of the cam and thereby draw the wires upwardly and clamp the elements to: gether, as and'for the purpose specified.

3. A fence wire clamp including a pair of clampin elements, oneof saidelements providedwith a longitudinal groove on one face thereof, a longitudinallyextending arm formed on. the opposing'face of the other clamping element and arranged to register: with the groove to more'firmly engage the wire which is to bestretched, a pair of U- shaped plates secured adjacent the end of each of the clamping members, bored extensions formed on the free ends of the arms of the plates of the upper clamping. element, lateral. extensions on the. arms ofthe U.- shaped plates of the lower clamping element, abearing plate secured-centrallyto the upper clamping element, a cam rotatable on the bearing plate, said cam being provided with a pluralityof bores, U-shaped wires extending through' the apertures of the extensions of the plates of the upper clamping element andjhaving looped ends arranged around the extensions on the arms of the U-shapod plates of. thelower clamping element, said wires arranged through the bore in the camwhereby when the cam is moveddownwardly the clamping elements will be drawn into-engagement with one another to efliciently bind afwire between their opposing faces. I 4. A1 fencewire stretcher including a pair of clamping elements, bars secured to the clamping elements, a lever, said lever having acam at one end thereof, a wear plate secured to the upper clamping element and adapted to, receive theflat surface of the cam of the; lever when. the lever isin. position with. the element locking the elements into engagement with one another asand for the purpose specified. V

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in. presence of two witnesses. y

V V V ...GEQRGE 0. WILSON. Witnesses L. T. SMITH, 

